Connecting means



June 26, 1962 w. A. SCHNEIDER CONNECTING MEANS Filed Aug. :51, 1960 FIG.2

INVENTOR, WILHELM A. SCHNEIDER BY y ATTORNEY.

United States Patent O 3,041,575 CONNECTING MEANS Wilhelm A. Schneider,Fair Haven, N.J., assignor to the United States of America asrepresented by the Secretary of the Army Filed Aug. 31, 1960, Ser. No.53,313

3 Claims. (Cl. 33999) (Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952), sec.266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by orfor the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment of anyroyalty thereon.

This invention relates to insulation piercing wire connectors of thetype used for joining the ends of electric conductors to provide acontinuous circuit through the conductors. More particularly theinvention relates to a novel pre-assembled water-tight tubular connectorinto the bores of which insulated conductors are inserted and whereinthe connection may be manually installed without the use of any tools.

In military field operation, it is vital to repair any damage toelectrical circuits immediately to preclude further damage or injury inthe electrical equipment or elsewhere. In addition to the need for hastethere are often adverse environmental conditions under which the repairshave to be made. Furthermore, any connection made should provide areliable electrical continuity and good mechanical pull out strength. Tomeet as closely as possible all these requirements, a sealed cableconnector according to this invention, is adapted for application toends of insulated cables which can be made by hand .and withoutpreparation of the cables.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved pre-assembledelectrical connector that may be put in use in a fraction of a minute.

A further object is to provide an electrical connector which may beapplied to insulated cables without the use of any tools.

A further object is to provide an electrical connector which can bequickly applied without removal or stripping of the insulation coveringof the connected portions of the insulated wires.

A further object is to provide an electrical connector in which allparts are assembled with the clamping memher in open position andthe'parts are retained in assembled relation ready for use.

For a more detailed description of the invention, together with otherand further objects thereof, reference is had to the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein;

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partly cut away, of a connector, embodyingprinciples of this invention, applied as a coupling for a two-conductorcable;

FIG. 2 is a view in section and partly in elevation of the tubularconnector and associated connectors of FIG. 1 before being clamped intoits final position;

FIG. 3 is a view in section and partly in elevation of the connector ofFIG. 1 shown in operative engagement coupled on to a two-conductorcable; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-section of FIG, 3 taken on line 4-4.

In the drawing and referring first to the complete assembly of connectorand conductors in FIG. 1, there is disclosed a connector in clampedengagement with the insulated two-conductor cables 12 and 12' to beconnected thereby. Connector 10 is formed of a cylindrical metal tubularhousing 14 having at each end thereof threaded shanks on which threadedcaps 16 and 16' are screwed.

A disc 18, positioned transverse to housing 14, having opposing centralcavities 2.0 and 28*, is permanently mounted within housing 14, near itsmidpoint. Cavities 20 and 20' are in alignment and lie close to the axisof Patented June 26, 1962 housing 14. Extending through disc 18, in aregion close to the peripheral edge of cavities 20 and 20, is a narrowlongitudinal resilient metal strip 22 secured at its midpoint in anydesired manner, as by molding or by a preformed slot in disc 18. Anidentical strip 22' is spaced diametrically opposite strip 22 and issecured to disc 18 in the same manner as the latter. Elongated strips 22and 22 are provided with humped portions 24 midway between theirextremities and their secured middle portions. Strips 22 and 22' extendradially outward from their secured portions to humps 24 and 24', andthen taper toward each other from the humps to their extremeties, asshown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Strips 22 and 22 are provided on their under orinner sides with radially inward projecting spaced pointed prongs 26. Inthe specific embodiment, described herein, four such prongs 26 areindicated-on each strip, but it is understood any appropriate number ofprongs may be employed. Corresponding prongs 26 on respective strips 22and 22' are in opposition and are of such nature that they are capableof penetrating the insulation on cables 12 and 12' as hereinafterdescribed.

A pair of identical tubular pistons 28 and 28', made of rigid insulatingmaterial, are slidably positioned within housing 14 such that theirouter diameters are substantially the same as the inner diameter of thehousing. Pistons 28 and 28 are normally spaced from each side of disc 18and are each provided with a hollowed out center portion in the shape oftruncated cones 30 and 30 whose respective narrow portions form channels32 and 32 for passage of cables 12 and 12'. The surface of hollowedcones 30 and 30, adjacent their wider portion thereof, abuts therespective inward'tapering surfaces of strips 22 and 22'. By such anarrangement, when the pistons 28 and 28' are axially moved toward eachother, the resilient strips are forced radially inward.

The means for providing axial movement of pistons 28 and 23' includesslidable metal sleeves 34 and 34' positioned in opposite ends ofconnector 10 and in contact with the respective pistons. The dimensionsof sleeves 34 and 34 are such that a light press fit is provided betweentheir outside diameter .and the inner surface of housing 14. Sleeves 34and 34' have inwardly diverging end portions 36 and 36', respectively,each of which has an axial opening 38 and 38' through which respectivecables 12 and 12' may be inserted.

Two respective sets of deformable insulating material 40 and 40' areprovided within respective sleeves 34 and 34', and have their exposedends in abutment with respective pistons 28 and 28. Each set ofinsulating material 40 and 40" has .a respective axial bore 42 and 42'slightly larger than the overall outer peripheries of cables 12 and 12'.

Threaded caps 16 and 16 are provided with respective axial entrances 44and 44' which engage, respectively, the external sections of the conicalend portions 36 and 36 of sleeves 34 and 34.

Through each end of connector 10, there is thus provided an axiallyaligned continuous passage, in alignment with respective cavities 20 and20, permitting cables 12 and 12 to be oppositely disposed therein inapproximate end-to-end relation. Assuming that connector 10 is to beused to join the two conductors 46 and 48 to their correspondingconductors 46 and 48', the end of insulated cable 12 is passed throughentrance 44, opening 38, bore 42, channel 32 and between strips 22 and22' into cavity 26. Likewise, the end of insulated cable 12' is insertedthrough entrance 44', opening 38', bore 42', channel 32' and betweenstrips 22 and 22 into cavity 20'.

Cables 12 and 12 .are of the conventional oval crosssectional typehaving a groove 50' in the insulation on one side of each cable. Asshown in FIG. 1, one side respective strips 22 and 22'.

3 of each of the bores 42 and 42' is provided with a guide knob 52 whichinterfits with groove 50, so that cables 12 and 12' can only be insertedin one position into the bores. In this way, conductors 46 and 48 willonly be joined to conductors 46 and 48 through strips 22 and 22'.

In use, connector receives the cable ends to be spliced, without anypreparation of the cables. All splices are made without removing anyinsulation. As indicated in FIG. 2, cables 12 and 12' are insertedthrough the entrances 44 and 44', far enough into connector 10', to abutrespective cavities and 20. By positioning the cables along the entirelength of the passages in connector 10 each cable can be gripped by bothsets of prongs 26 on each side of strips 22 and 22'. After cables 12 and12 are in place caps 16 and 16' may be simultaneously tightened, or'theymay be alternately rotated to bring the caps axially toward each other,best shown in FIG. 3. This action urges sleeves 34 and 34 and insulationmaterial 40 and 40' against pistons 28 and 28' whose sloping conicalsurfaces 30 and 30 wedge against the As this pressure is applied, strips22 and 22' are forced radially toward each other, and prongs 26 cutthrough the insulation on the conductors, firmly gripping saidconductors in operative position, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, insuringgood electrical contact while increasing the mechanical strength of thesplice. At the same time, deformable material and 40* are compressedaround cables 12 and 12' at openings 38 and 38 in such manner to providewater-tight seals, around the cables, at the ends of connector 10, asshown in FIG, 3.

By using the connector, according to this invention, time consumed inmaking a splice between two-conductor cables has been as little as 10seconds.

While there has been described what is at present a preferred embodimentof the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art thatvarious changes and modifications may be made therein without departingfrom the invention, and it is therefore aimed in the appended claims tocover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spiritand scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A pre-assembled connector for electrically coupling the ends of apair of insulated conductors to provide electrically conductive jointsbetween said conductors comprising an elongated hollow housing havingaligned end openings, a disc of rigid insulatingmaterial positionedwithin said housing in the intermediate portion thereof, said dischaving opposing cavities therein aligned with said end openings forreceiving the ends of said conductors, a pair of diametrically opposingresilient metallic strips mounted insaid disc such that theirextremities extend therethrough on opposite sides of said disc, saidstrips being longitudinally aligned within said housing and providedwith radially inward projecting prongs thereon, axially slidable pistonsofrigid insulating material positioned within said housing and spacedfrom each side of said disc, each of said pistons provided with ahollowed out central conical portion whose respective wider portions arein opposing relation, said strips being in slidable engagement with theconical surfaces of said pistons, and independently operable adjustablemeans connected at each end of said housing adapted to move said pistonsaxially toward each other whereby said strips are forced radially inwardso that said prongs come into engagement with said conductors.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said means comprise a cap on each endof said housing threaded internally for threaded engagement with saidhousing which is provided with external threads at each end thereof,said caps having aligned axial openings for the passage of saidconductors therethrough, slidable metal sleeves disposed within saidhousing having inward diverging conical end portions adjacent said caps,two bodies of insulating material having axial bores therethroughrespectively positioned within said sleeves and contiguous with saidrespective pistons, whereby when said caps are tightened they engagesaid sleeves which in turn force said pistons axially toward each other.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said bodies of insulating material aredeformable.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,898,359 Gilbert Feb. 21, 1933 2,470,423 Alford May 17, 1949 2,720,635Odegaard Oct. 11, 1955 2,725,545 Gordon Nov. 29, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS770,307 Great Britain Mar. 20, 1957

